Simplicity, chaos, but so much love!

Okay so it's been a bit. We have been busy with wrapping up the school years and getting ready for summer. I am officially done at DPU this week after Alumni Reunion Weekend, then off to Real Estate (hoping to drum up some summer business) for the summer. Still going strong at IWU, though sometimes I wonder if it's even worth it?? But, I do think I am setting a good example for my children.

Tyler's had a rough season in baseball (for many reasons), the girls are knee deep in softball (Savannah's a natural and Addison is...well, a bit uniterested, but she's only 4!). I to am attempting to play softball after about 10 years, not sure that was a bright idea. Trying to get back into exercising but my shin splints are still hanging around...
We are trying to get the projects on the house going so that we can have somewhat of a relaxing summer. They all seem like minor jobs, but still somehow finding the time to start/finish them seems impossible.

We camped for the first time this summer and I am not yet regretting the decision to not buy a camper this yet. It just didn't make sense. We have had a lot of big purchases in the last 6 months and so another one seemed unreasonable. Plus, we do have summer projects to complete ( a MUST) on the house to get it where we want it and so we aren't sure how much time we'll have for camping. And then there is the question of storage in the off months.

Today is Tyler's 11th birthday and I am amazed and proud of the little man. Eventhough, his main goal in life right now is to torture his sisters, he really is a very mature 11 year old. He goes into the middle school next year which, I have to admit, scares me!

Adam and I had an amazing first vacation a month ago, and then we came home and it feels like everything went back to stress and disorder. What to you do when your in a bad economy and you  have a job that pays the bills but that job, causes so much stress on you and your family that it's almost unbearable? Yes, be thankful you have a job, but there has to be a happy medium right? God wouldn't want you to be in a job that wreaks havoc on your family. 10 years of nights has really gotten to all of us. The kids just do not understand that daddy has to work to provide for us and sadly that he has to work nights. I'll never get used to the sad faces and teary eyes of my children when daddy misses something special to them, like a birthday, or 5th grade graduation, or the first real hit in softball. :(

We have been a bit lax in our spiritual life and have visited a few churches and found one we liked and attended there for a good long while, only to not be sure that's the place God intends us to be, so we are praying for that direction. We miss now having a church home.

Well, this is long and I must go ice my leg!